The Journey of a Humbled Heart

Remember that old adage, which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is a question Philosophers have debated for hundreds of years. For the purpose of understanding the depths of our identity and the spiritual essence of who we are, I would like for you to consider another very important new adage that will point you in the direction of a Humbled Heart: “Which comes first, choice or awareness?” You might be thinking what’s the big deal about choice and awareness? Well, when I was at the lowest point in my life, it was this concept of choice and awareness that helped me climb out of the bowels of emotional despair the likes of which I could have never imagined. The choices I am referring to here are huge. I’m not talking about the minute everyday decisions like what to have for breakfast, or what clothes to wear, or what restaurant to take your date too. The decisions I am referring to are ones that not only change the direction of your life; but they can also affect the lives of the people you love and care about most. Having awareness is about elevating your consciousness by gaining a deeper understanding of who you are and how you feel about yourself at your core (your inner most part of your soul). This includes understanding and accepting the good, the bad, and the ugly of who you are as well. The level of ones consciousness is in direct proportion to how your life is unfolding in that very moment. The more we evolve in our lives, the more crossroads we must pass through. It is in these crossroads that lays the very deep, personal and spiritual lessons that we need to learn in order for the human spirit to thrive. The challenge is to trust yourself, by being quiet, and listening to the stillness deep inside your core. It is in your core self that harbors the soul that makes up who you are. I began a new phase on my spiritual journey when I began writing this book. I have been journaling my thoughts, concepts, and philosophy about life for many years, this book is a natural evolution of that process. It was during one of those moments of contemplation that I realized, although everything we do and feel, begins with a thought, the foundation of one’s journey toward achieving a humbled heart actually begins with choice and awareness. This concept was so profound to me that I spent a year of my journey researching by asking other people for their perspective on this very important question of what comes what comes first “choice or awareness.” Before I could move forward, I needed to debate the relationship of these critical words to each other. I made sure to explain I was not asking about the everyday minutia of everyday choices. I wanted to know about the life-changing choices that they made that not only affected their lives but the lives of the people closest to them. Moreover, I wanted to understand weather or not people thought about the concept that by not making a choice is still a choice? It seemed to me the answers to my questions about choice and awareness should have been easy. If I wanted to make changes within myself and help others to do the same, I needed to know and understand how other people felt about the very intimate and important choices they made in their lives as well. Unfortunately, my survey did not provide the answers I was looking for. Half of the people I asked said choice came first; and they would articulate very convincing reasons why choice should come before awareness. Others, of course, would tell me with the same unequivocal certainty that, “Obviously, awareness comes first because one needs to be aware in order to make a choice.” I considered all of the feedback I received from so many people, and it was still not clear to me. I understand we need to be aware in order to make very important life choices; on the other hand, I also understand there are times when we make choices based on the personal awareness that affect the direction our lives. I was stuck. I wanted to write this book about attaining a deeper level of peace and happiness through choice and awareness, but I knew I could not move forward until I resolved this very perplexing question. Throughout my research, it became very clear both the experts I spoke with and people in general were divided. I had to stretch my perspective as well as my understanding beyond my personal experiences so the relationship of these words (choice and awareness) and what they represented could become clear. I needed to understand this relationship on a very personal level so I could be express their meaning through my personal experiences. As I continued journaling, I became even more perplexed and I decided to put the book down for a while until I figured this out. After many months of contemplation, quiet centering and seeking spiritual insight, the answer finally surfaced. I came to understand that when these opposing perspectives (choice and awareness) are combined, they add up to something bigger than their individual meanings. I continued to ponder the relationship of these two very different yet vital entities. After several more weeks of meditating on this matter the answer finally came to me with an impeccable sense of clarity that helped me to gain a deeper level of understanding to this vital concept of choice and awareness. Although choice and awareness are two very important entities on their own, when you combine them they become much more powerful. You cannot make a choice without awareness. You cannot have awareness unless you have made a choice. You cannot have one without the other, and that is why their relationship is symbiotic. Together they are something more profound than they are separately. Now that I understood the significance that choice and awareness has on our journey of achieving a humbled heart I can now move forward. One powerful choice you have is the ability to choose how you feel about your self and about other people. Another powerful choice is weather to react to someone or a situation; or choose how you would like to respond to a person or situation. Most people simply react to other people or situations without thought and when this occurs it is usually based on emotion. The way you would normally react to a person or a situation has more to do with how you feel about yourself at the time, your conditionings, your behaviors, the programs you have bought into, and your belief systems; as opposed to how those other people view you. You might be thinking that your response cold just be based on the fact that you are having a bad day. This is true however, we are talking about personal growth and development here, so it is my contention that you having a bad day a choice in itself. How you choose to respond to another person or in different situations represent a deeper understanding of awareness. It also represents an acknowledgment, validation, and knowing sense of how the other person implements the concept of choice and awareness, or lack there of, to express his or her self Furthermore, people will do and say things for any number of reasons.